But Pardew said: "Listen, when you lose a player of Cabaye's class, you want a replacement. But he didn't arrive and I have to accept what was in my kitty today and going forward.

"I have to try to get the best out of the group I have got. Loic Remy was a big loss today because we created chances, but there was a lack of conviction in our finishing today which he certainly doesn't lack, and he was a big loss today.

Kinnear and football dealmaker Lee Charnley had failed to deliver a new signing in Clement Grenier this week.

French sources say that a "derisory" offer and Grenier's desire to stay with Lyon resulted in the deal collapsing.

Patrdew said: "For me standing on the sideline today with a team where we were, it would have nice to have had a player to give us a boost for the second half of the season, but he didn't arrive.

"What else can I say? You can keep asking the question and re-phrasing it, and I have answered it.

"I don't want to answer that question again, if you don't mind. The bottom line is the players I have got, I have got to find a game-plan that is going to work for us.

"But when we, in my view, gave a soft goal for the first goal, it was our lack of composure more than anything else that cost us today."